


Let Go Now, Ada

by penguinated



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Family Feels, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-09
Updated: 2018-06-09
Packaged: 2019-05-20 00:46:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14884419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/penguinated/pseuds/penguinated
Summary: Elrond watches his daughter grow up.





	Let Go Now, Ada

                Elrond could not find words to describe the feeling of bliss contained within him the moment his precious daughter, Arwen Undómiel was birthed. He remembered holding his jewel in his arms for the first time…it was like nothing he had ever felt before. This sudden elation, delight, and gaiety came over him. A grin captured his fair face before he placed a tender kiss on his sleeping wife’s brow. A small trace of sweat remained, but after sleep, it had mostly evaporated. Then he gazed upon his sleeping daughter’s face. Already she had the grace and elegance belonging to any Elf maiden. She was possibly the most beloved creature in Middle Earth, by her family and her people.

               

                When Arwen was a small child, just learning to walk, Celebrían would hold her tiny hands, release them once she had her balance and say, “Now walk to Ada!”

                Arwen’s petite face would screw up in concentration as she took teetering steps toward her father, who was waiting with his arms stretched apart to embrace her. After several minutes of putting one foot in front of the other, she would reach her father’s arms, and he would scoop her up and congratulate her. This would usually be followed by a shower of kisses.

                Arwen let out a shriek of mirth as she cried, “Let go, Ada!”

                Unwillingly, he would put her back on her feet and toddle back over to her mother, a foolish-looking grin on his face.

                From behind him, he heard the sniggering of his Seneschal and his Chief Counselor, Glorfindel and Erestor, respectively. Elrond turned round and glared at them

                “What are you two laughing about?” he demanded.

                “Well,” began Erestor, the corner of whose mouth was twitching. “We have never witnessed a creature reduce our lord to such…” he trailed off.

                “Stupidity,” finished Glorfindel, a smirk on his face and laughter dancing behind his pupils. Fair as the Vanya’s face was, Elrond had to resist a brutal urge to smack the cheeky grin right off of it.

                Instead, he rolled his eyes. “If you two ever have children, you will understand that a father’s love makes him do things he may not be proud of. I care far more about showing my daughter affection than the two of you teasing me.”

                “Oh, that is clear,” Glorfindel retorted, a jovial look still upon his features.

                Erestor tried to hold back a titter, but failed.

                Elrond narrowed his eyes at them before sweeping away to get back to work, his comrades giggling obscenely as he left.

               

                Arwen got her first horse when she was just developing into a woman, and Elrond was teaching her the basics before her brothers would take her out for a ride. He first taught her proper care for her horse – how to talk to it, and the like. She paid close attention, and he knew she was absorbing what he was telling her. He then taught her the proper side to mount and helped her on, but he did not release her hand.

                “Now remember, hold on to the reins, grip tightly with your legs, and lean forward,” he instructed. “Don’t let Elladan and Elrohir take you over and jumps, you do not have strong enough bond with your horse just yet. Keep your balance, and –”

                “Adar, would you calm down?” complained Elladan, who was eager to spend the quality time with his siblings. “Elrohir and I will take very good care of our baby sister.”

                Arwen nodded her approval. “I will be alright. You can let go now, Ada,” she said, offering him a smile of assurance.  

                Hesitantly, he released her hand, and she gripped the reins. He strode over to his awaiting sons, and whispered to them, “If she comes home hurt, I will be on the two of you like flame on a Balrog, do you understand me?”

                “Adar, you speak as if you do not trust us,” answered Elrohir sarcastically.

                Elrond shot his son a quick scowl, before Elladan placed a calming hand on his father’s shoulder.

                “Really, Adar,” he said. “We will bring her home without a scratch.”

                Elrond heaved a sigh, and told them to get going. Elladan was in the lead and Elrohir took up the rear with Arwen between her two brothers. She turned and blew her father a kiss as they rode out to the wood, as if to reassure him that all would be fine.

                Erestor and Glorfindel sighed as they watched Elrond wave back to his daughter before she disappeared in the forest. Even when he could no longer see her, Elrond kept his eyes on the spot she vanished from, as if willing her to come back to where he could see her.

                “You know, Elrond,” Glorfindel began. “They are going on a short trail. It is not as if they are headed for Mirkwood.”

                “Besides,” added Erestor. “Do you not have faith your sons will care for her?”

                Elrond half smiled. “Yes…I suppose I should look on the bright side. At least it is not the two of you taking her out there.”

                “Look at that!” cried Glorfindel cheerfully. “You count your blessings already!”

                “Oh, shut up,” Elrond returned, but the hint of a grin was upon his lips.

 

                Elrond was putting on a brave face as he escorted Arwen toward her awaiting future husband. Her hand was tucked comfortably in the crook of his arm as they approached Aragorn. Elrond was really pleased that his daughter had found someone that made her so happy, but he was also loathe to turn her over to the care of someone else. Yes, Aragorn was a noble man, and being the King of Men meant that Arwen and her posterity would have a good life, but Elrond still felt a longing to just put her on a horse and send her home. Regrettably, that was not his decision to make. All he could do now was proudly walk her down the aisle and prepare to help her into her new life. When they finally reached Aragorn, Elrond still clung to his daughter’s arm.

                She smiled warmly at him, understanding his reluctance. “You can let go now, Ada,” she whispered, but he noticed there were sparkles in her eyes that he knew to be tears.

                Remembering his duty at the moment, he simply brushed his lips across her cheek before letting Aragorn take the hands of his precious daughter.

                Lo and behold, his daughter was someone’s wife. Arwen belonged to Aragorn now. Elrond felt his eyes start to brim with hot tears, and one even found its way down his cheek. It dripped off his chin and splashed onto the white stone of Minas Tirith, turning that little spot grey.

                Arwen felt a pang of guilt as she watched the strongest man she ever knew shed a tear for her.

               

                Elrond was lamenting saying goodbye to his daughter. He knew that it would be a bitter parting, but he also knew that it was inevitable. He braced himself when he saw her, her face already looking melancholy as she approached him.

                They held each other’s gaze for several agonizing moments before Arwen cast herself into her father’s arms, crying. Tears ran down her cheeks and onto her father’s robes, temporarily staining them. He stroked her hair and attempted to quiet her, but to no avail. In truth, he was struggling to maintain his own composure, but he wanted to be strong for her. The last thing he wanted was for her last image to of him broken down.

                “I’m going to miss you, Ada,” she sniffled, looking up at him.

                “And I, you, my Arwen,” he told her, and put forth a kindly smile as he used his thumbs to gently wipe the streaks of tears from her face. “More than you will ever know.”

                She buried her face in his chest. It was like she was a little girl again, and she had fallen and hurt herself. Elrond gave her a small squeeze as he rested his cheek upon her head.

                He hated that he had to say this to her. “Let go now, Arwen,” he breathed.

                At this, she broke into fresh sobs, and actually held on tighter.

                “I love you, Ada,” she said, her voice broken and muffled by her tears and his clothes.

                “I love you more,” he replied.

                He kissed her one last time on the top of her head, before taking her shoulders and gradually pulling her away from him. He squeezed her hands in his one last time before releasing her, mounting his horse, and leaving forever the city of Minas Tirith. He had finally truly let go.


End file.
